


The Soul Moves On, Stories Persist

by Comp_Lady



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Episode 105 spoilers, Gen, small mentions of other characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 06:26:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11503644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Comp_Lady/pseuds/Comp_Lady
Summary: In The Library Of The Dead Percival thinks of his sister, and pulls a book off the shelf.





	The Soul Moves On, Stories Persist

His hand hovers over the book. Life stories held in pages upon pages and bound in leather. Slim books no bigger than pamphlets wedged between tomes heavy enough to strain the shelves that hold them. Percy closes his eyes and pictures Vesper. The soft velvet of her favorite dress, the confidence in her posture, her smirk as she snuck him sweets before dinner.

Vesper in the library, reading in the window, morning light casting a halo around her.

Percy holds this image in his mind, cradles it delicately as he reaches out and rests his fingertips on the spine of a book. There’s a sensation. As if something holds his hand in place, as if something is shifting the books under his fingers. When it stops he opens his eyes and slides the book out from between its slot on the shelf.

The spine is white, reminding him of the stone of his home. And from it branches reach out across the covers, speckled with gold leaves that glitter in the light. The edges of the pages feature the same gold embossment. He turns the book over and over in his hands, traces a thumb along the golden edges of the pages. In a decisive motion he swing the book open to a random page and begins reading.

> _ The bundle in Mother’s arms is very small, she thinks. It wriggles and gurgles and squints up at the world around it, looking dissatisfied with everything it sees. _
> 
> _ “That’s your brother,” Father says, hand warm on her shoulder. She glances up at him, then back down to the bundle. Gently, she reaches out to trace the back of her finger along the curve of the baby’s cheek. _
> 
> _ “What’s his name?” _
> 
> _ “Percival. His name is Percival.” _
> 
> _ She nods, good. It’s a little long for someone so tiny, but it’s a good name for a brother of hers to have. _
> 
> _ “I’m going to take care of him.” _
> 
> _ He parents chuckle, and Father pats her on the shoulder and ruffles her hair a bit. She isn’t sure why they’re so amused by this. It’s her duty as a sister and that’s a very serious matter. Oh well, she knows it, and Percival will know it. That’s what is ultimately important she thinks. _
> 
> _ “I’ll show you all the good places to hide when in trouble, Percy,” she whispers. Perhaps a little too loud because Mother sighs heavily. _
> 
> _ “Vesper, that is un— _

He snaps the book shut, breathing hard. Head swimming.

“Percy?”

He almost startles at the delicate hand curling around the crook of his elbow, Vex’s soft voice brings him back though. Concern furrows her brow as she looks between him and the book, she can’t read it. The smooth curling script would mean nothing to her if he just showed it to her instead of explaining. Would give her no clue as to why it affected him so.

“It’s Vesper. This is Vesper… it’s my sister.”

“Oh, darling…”

He curls his fingers around the book, tucking it close to his chest without thinking. His sister, he’s holding his sister in his hands. Percy steps away from the bookshelf to rejoin the group. Shaking his head when Vex asks if he’s going to put Vesper’s book back.

He’s going to carry it for as long as he can.


End file.
